


Throughout the Years

by orphan_account



Category: Emperor's New Groove (2000), Road to El Dorado (2000), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Chel is the Empress, F/M, Happy Ending, M/M, Miguel and Tulio adopt Eugene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-31
Updated: 2015-01-31
Packaged: 2018-03-09 20:52:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3264029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Starts almost directly after the end of Road to El Dorado and ends at the end of Tangled. Or Miguel and Tulio live their lives together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Throughout the Years

**Author's Note:**

> I just... I have a lot of feelings about these two, okay?
> 
> Might write more stuff about them later, actually.

Miguel closed his eyes and turned away from the camp sight, wood clutched too tight in his arms. He could hear the soft giggles and chuckles emanating from the two figures at the fire and, honestly, it made him feel slightly sick. Not that he had anything against Chel, no, how could she know?

But Tulio? Oh, that was an entirely different story. Once upon a time Miguel had loved the idea of an adventure to find the golden city of El Dorado. Now he hated every aspect of that adventure, and he hated himself for hating it. Tulio was happy, and Miguel tried his very best to be happy for him but it was so hard.

Every time he saw Tulio together with Chel... it was like a knife in his heart, because what had used to be _us_ was now strictly _you_ and _me_. It felt entirely unnatural, being so separated from Tulio. He wasn't even sure his black-haired ex-lover realized what the entire thing was doing to him. He glanced back at the fire just as Chel leaned over and kissed Tulio's cheek.

Mistake. He turned quickly away, chucking the firewood in the pile they had gathered for the night before retreating back into the forest. The two at the fire didn't even look up.

Miguel never cried. That was the thought he had firmly planted in Tulio's head. Miguel was always the happy one, he was the one who cheered Tulio up, his merry mood was unquenchable. So how could he drop that façade now? No, when he needed to cry, he left the camp, found some tree he could easily climb and settled on a branch, out of hearing range from the camp.

It wasn't the safest method possible, but he had to allow himself breaks. Keeping up his smiling shell was getting more and more exhausting. Even worse, he and Tulio hadn't properly spoken in days.

His eyes started to blur even as he climbed his selected tree and he was crying before he reached a good branch. He clung to the bark of this huge, magnificent tree and wondered if it wouldn't be easier to just let go.

But he couldn't leave. No matter how much it hurt he had to be there for Tulio. He had always been there for Tulio, and in turn, Tulio had always been there for him. They had been the only people in the universe that mattered to the other. Now that was different and Tulio hadn't even bothered to warn him before the brick hit him.

“Dammit!” he muttered, punching the bark and taking deep breaths to calm himself. _Tulio how could you? I thought it was we, you and me against the world!_ Familiar thoughts, familiar, and all together useless. Miguel realized what was happening, of course he did. Being around the happy couple was like pouring poison into and already festering wound. But it had to be enough. It was all he could have. It was stay with them, or live alone for the rest of his life.

He shuddered. No. Being alone would be far worse than anything the two of them could unknowingly do to him.

Actually, “happy couple” was overstating things a bit. True, Tulio was happy, mostly. And so was Chel, but, like any relationship, they fought, and their fights were much more devastating than his and Tulio's had ever been (save that one, really, really big one that Miguel didn't like to remember). They would usually refuse to speak to each other for hours, sometimes even days, after these fights and opted to use Miguel as a carrier-pigeon.

Deeming himself calm enough Miguel dropped down from the tree and headed back to camp. When he got there Chel and Tulio were firmly sitting on each their own side of the camp, backs turned to each other. Miguel fought the urge to gape. They had just been giggling a few minutes ago! He shook his head and dropped down between them, ready to start being the pigeon any second now.

Surprisingly he got no messages. He frowned and looked at Tulio. His friend's entire posture was tense and there was particular spark of anger in his eyes. He glanced at Chel and found her all but grinding her teeth in frustration. They hadn't been this bad, ever.

Miguel wisely kept his mouth shut about it, though and headed over to Altivo instead of staying in the cloud of tension the two were creating. The horse, as ever, seemed to understand him in an uncanny way and shifted his position to allow Miguel to curl up against his side.

As he slipped of to sleep he cast one glance back at the camp fire and got a good look and Chel's face. He almost got up and went to her then because she looked so, incredibly sad. With a jolt he realized he recognized himself in her expression but his mind fogged over with sleep before he could do anything about it.

***

The first thing he heard when he woke up was a slap. He sat upright abruptly, probably startling Altivo out of his sleep, and glanced around quickly. Tulio and Chel were at the river and, buy the way they were moving, Tulio's hand gestures and Chel's furious face they were having the worst argument in the history of their relationship.

He pricked his ears a bit, trying to catch what they were saying. Chel seemed both hurt and angry and Tulio... Miguel frowned. He had never seen Tulio look so guilty. Tulio didn't _do_ guilty.

“...seen the way you look at him!” Chel's voice floated over to him and Miguel sat a little straighter.

“Chel, I-” Tulio began but she held up a hand firmly.

“You know, from the moment I saw you two, I thought you had something. I assumed I was wrong when you started reacting to my hints but... You... _have you seen Miguel lately_?” she finished in a hiss, looking absolutely livid, though weather she was mad at herself or Tulio Miguel couldn't figure out. Tulio flinched back.

“... We... haven't talked that much,” he admitted and Chel huffed, crossing her arms.

“If you had done to me what you did to him I'd have left by now,” Chel said. “He's staying because he _knows_ you need him! And I... I ruined everything, _”_ the last three words were so soft Miguel could barely hear them.

Tulio looked truly lost for words and Miguel felt much the same. He stared open-mouthed at the two as he waited for the outcome of this fight. How long had this been going on? It was clearly an old argument but somehow Miguel had never noticed it.

“Tulio, we're done. I have absolutely no wish to be “the other woman”. You need to go apologize to Miguel, _now_. Grovel, beg for his forgiveness if you have to and you'll be lucky if he gives it to you! This was a huge mistake, and we both know it. I'll apologize later, when you're done,” she put a hand to her head and sat down heavily. Miguel quickly fell back against Altivo and pretended to sleep as Tulio turned towards him hesitantly.

He heard the greenery on ground level rustle as Tulio made his way over and felt the difference when Tulio plunked himself down heavily beside him. He ignored him.

“Hey... Miguel?” Tulio sounded very hesitant as a hand stretched out and shook him lightly. Miguel tightened a bit and turned further away from his ex-lover.

“Yeah?” he asked, trying to sound groggy. Tulio shifted uncomfortably.

“I'm sorry,” Tulio muttered and Miguel sat up, leaning against Altivo and glanced at Tulio.

“For what?” he asked lightly. Tulio glanced at him, then he glanced at Chel. Miguel followed his glance and blinked.

“Oh...” he said before looking back at Tulio.

“Really Miguel I-” Tulio began and the absolutely, totally, _frustrated_ look on his face was damn near enough to make Miguel forgive him. Not entirely though.

“Hey, just don't do it again, agreed?” he said lightly and Tulio looked up at him. Their wordless communication kicked in again.

_I'm really sorry. I hurt you. I am so, so sorry._

_I know, I know, maybe I'll forgive you. Please, be patient._

Miguel smiled and leaned back against Altivo, who was surprisingly willing to be a back-rest at the moment. Tulio grinned and got up, going to see if he could find some more edible berries.

“Miguel?” he looked up at the sound of Chel's voice. She was standing above him, bending down a little so she could look into his eyes. He smiled up at her before springing up and gripping her in a tight hug.

“Not your fault,” he said simply when he released her and ruffled her hair affectionately. She smiled and laughed, relieved.

“Doesn't change the fact that I should have looked before I leapt,” she countered, Miguel shrugged.

“I suppose,” he shrugged. She smiled.

“What about you and Tulio?” she asked carefully and Miguel froze mid-step.

“Ah... well, we'll see,” he said before moving on into the forest to look for the aforementioned black-haired Spaniard. It wasn't that hard to find him, crouched over a bush that grew a particular kind of berry Chel had told them wasn't poisonous.

Quietly he crouched beside his partner and started helping him in gathering the berries. Tulio glanced briefly at him but chose to say nothing. Miguel relaxed in the companionable silence, the tenseness of weeks seeming to slip off him like water off a goose. He smiled briefly at Miguel, who smiled back before they concentrated on gathering the berries again.

***

Tulio didn't have to wait all that long, it took about three weeks from the apology, filled with awkward “that was too close and”, “oh, right, we're still on rocky ground” moments. Chel, surprisingly, slithered her way into their dynamic as easily as a snake through the rocks. She officially became Tulio's “little sister I never really wanted but am now suck with because reasons”. They teased each other relentlessly and Miguel and Tulio slowly returned to their old ways, happy banter with no hint of awkwardness left.

When it happened, it being that Miguel leaned over and kissed Tulio without any warning what so ever, everything had gone so back to normal that no one batted an eyelash for the first few seconds. Then Tulio's face split into a largest smile you have ever seen and he turned, taking Miguel's face in his hands and pressing their lips together in a slow and sweet kiss. Miguel nearly melted on the spot. He had missed this. Oh he had missed this so much.

Chel quietly got up and left the camp site to give the two some privacy, though there was absolutely no doubt that she was going to tease them for this later.

“So where to next?” Miguel murmured into the kiss. Tulio grinned and hugged him close, shrugging his shoulders.

“North?” he suggested. Miguel pretended to think it over before nodding. Then he yawned, a huge, gaping yawn that only comes when months of emotional exhaustion is lifted off your shoulders. It was an odd feeling, sinking down from an almost constant adrenaline-high and he sank further into Tulio's arms with a soft sigh, falling asleep almost instantly.

Tulio smiled fondly and picked his partner up, nuzzling his cheek as he made his way over to Miguel's chosen sleeping spot, curled up against Altivo. He placed Miguel down gently, careful not to jostle him and laid himself down next to the blond. Almost instantly Miguel turned and latched onto him in his sleep. Tulio shifted a bit to get comfortable before he, too, slipped off into the realm of dreams.

When Chel slipped back into the camp she smiled fondly at the two curled up into a tangled ball of limbs. How they could sleep like that was beyond her, but hey, to each their own. She settled herself near the fire and fell asleep with a smile on her face.

***

The next months found them in a decidedly odd situation. They had managed to get totally lost and ended up in some form of palace. Currently they were trying to figure out just how you loose your way into a palace, and find a way out before any guards showed up.

“Miguel, I'm blaming you!” Tulio snapped as they turned a corner on another dead end. Miguel looked scandalized.

“Me!? What did I do?” he demanded, but he didn't get an answer because a shout notified them that the guards had found them.

“Run!” Tulio yelled and the three were off, ducking into corridors and jumping over guards.

“Definitely your fault!” Tulio confirmed as they ran into another dead end Miguel glanced over at him and then to the guards.

“Well you were the one who said “follow the river”!” he shot back, grinning despite the situation. Tulio glanced at him quickly before taking his hand and waiting to be skewered on the spears of the guards.

Well, luckily they weren't skewered, just seized and taken to the throne room. The Emperor (Emperor Kuzco, apparently) was looking down at them from his ridiculously high throne. He seemed to disregard Tulio and Miguel quickly enough but when he got to Chel he stopped and openly stared for a few moments before the man next to him coughed and he regained his regal composure.

“How did you get into the royal palace?” he asked.

“Well... uh, honestly, Emperor... we have no idea,” Tulio said sheepishly and Miguel bit his lip, hoping an execution wasn't in order. Kuzco frowned.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“Ah well, I'm Tulio, this is Miguel and that's Chel,” Tulio said, a bit too quickly perhaps, but then, who could blame him. Kuzco smiled.

“Great! You'll be my guests!” he said. Miguel and Tulio gaped and stared at each other and then gaped some more while Chel took her chance and pushed in front of them.

“Thank you, your Majesty,” she said graciously, behind her Tulio and Miguel raised their eyebrows.

***

The next year found Tulio and Miguel ready to set out again. They had said their goodbyes to the Emperor and Empress, Tulio had warned a moderately (okay, completely) terrified Kuzco that if he ever hurt Chel there would be hell to pay and they had arranged to write as often as possible. There was a certain sense of... oddness not having Chel around any more, but as they watched her husband smile at her with eyes not that different from the eyes Miguel had for Tulio, they figured everything was going to be all right.

***

Settling down. It was not something either of them had seen themselves doing, ever. The only settling they had done was getting married by a strange shaman in the middle of a jungle. But a house? A permanent home in a city? A (somewhat, okay really not) honest income? Never, that had never even crossed their minds.

Then they found Corona. Something about that city drew them in. The ship they had... er... uhm... procured though totally legal means... yeah... anyway. They turned for the harbour and went exploring. Tulio could tell Miguel was in love. Everything about the city seemed to make his husband's eyes glitter.

The height of the day, however, was when they saw a woman kissing someone, presumably either her girlfriend or her wife, and not being dragged away to get executed. This was a place they could stay. They didn't give up their thieving, conning way, oh heavens no, but they had learned throughout their travels to stay out of the spotlight.

For public appearance they were just that odd couple living on the edge of the city selling books. Books that Tulio wrote, about their adventures, whit a few additions here and there.

“Come on Tulio, I wasn't _that_ helpless!” Miguel complained one day after reading through the final draft of his newest story (a rather grand pirate adventure based of their experiences at sea). True, Miguel had managed to insinuate he was someone important, and true, Tulio had had to go storming after him to rescue him from pirates who wanted to ransom him. And would likely have killed him if they found out all they had was a pretty thief and conman. But Miguel very much did not remember falling helplessly into Tulio's arms and having the taller man carry him away from a vicious sea battle. That was just ridiculous.

“Well, you are in this story, the hero needs someone to save and “dragged his useless half-conscious body away into a lifeboat and ran away like sane people” won't sell many books!” Tulio shot back, snatching back the papers and organizing them. Miguel pouted sourly and crossed his arms, looking away. Tulio sighed and bent down, pressing a swift kiss to Miguel's lips before heading to the door.

He had only gotten about five steps out the door when he reached down quick as lightning and grabbed a tiny hand that had been reaching for his purse. The brown haired child looked absolutely terrified and started to try to pull away but Tulio crouched, observing the young boy.

“Your technique is absolutely horrible,” he said and Miguel, by some otherworldly Tulio-sense he had developed somewhere along the line, stuck his head out the door. He looked back and forth between the kid and Tulio.

“So what's going on here?” he asked Tulio looked up at him.

“This little scamp tried to pickpocket me,” he said. Miguel regarded the kid.

“Oh that won't do! No one can pickpocket you,” he said, leaning on Tulio's shoulder and watching the child, who seemed to have calmed down a bit as they showed no signs of reporting him to the guard.

“What's your name, scamp?” Tulio asked, the boy looked up at him hesitantly.

“Eugene... Eugene Fitzherbert,” he murmured.

From that day on they seemed to halfway adopt little Eugene. Tulio taught him what he liked to call the “tools of the trade” while Miguel focused on teaching the youngster about charm. He went back to the orphanage for the nights but most days he spent with them.

And then came the day when he didn't go back to the orphanage. No one really commented, he just curled up in the guest bed and slowly the room morphed from “never going to use guest room” to “Eugene's room”. The orphanage had even let them officially adopt him, though it was more a formality.

As the boy grew it became apparent that he had a rather creepily similar appearance to the both of them. They never saw fit to question why, though. They simply saw it as something to further tie them to their son.

Then he had adopted a new name, Flynn Rider, from the fictional character he had adored so much when he was younger. And then the wanted posters flew up. Even though he complained mostly about them not getting the nose right the small family knew he couldn't stay.

“See, this is why you stay out of the spotlight!” Tulio growled exasperated as he hugged his son tightly. Miguel stood a little to the side with his eyes down-cast. Flynn removed himself from his dad's embrace and moved over to his pa.

“Hey, pa, I'll be all right,” he said. Miguel looked up at him and sighed, catching his son into a tight hug.

“You had better,” he muttered before releasing the boy.

Tulio took Miguel's hand and they watched together as their son vanished into the night thinking they would never see him again.

***

When Tulio entered the house to find Flynn standing in the centre of the living room he had to rub at his eyes to make sure they weren't playing tricks on him. They weren't. Miguel rushed past him and caught their son in a bone-crushing hug before abruptly letting him go.

“You are in _so_ much trouble young man!” he scolded. Tulio gaped a bit more before getting his composure back.

“You can't be here,” he hissed. Flynn looked sheepish, rubbing at the back of his head.

“I was pardoned,” he said. Tulio had to sit down.

“The _Stabbington Brothers_? Eugene what were you thinking!?” he demanded. Miguel glanced at him, Tulio only used their son's given name when he was especially emotionally compromised.

“Speaking of, the crown of the princess? Really?” Miguel asked. Flynn rolled his eyes.

“I'm fine... there's someone I want you to meet,” he said. Tulio and Miguel instantly did a sweep of the room, but there was no one else in it. Flynn turned to the stairs and called for someone to come down.

They waited, preparing themselves for anything. Well... almost anything. The princess herself was not someone they had expected to see in their home, ever. Mainly because she had been missing since... basically forever. Tulio's jaw dropped and Mugiel's eyes widened to the extent that Tulio worried they might pop out of his head.

“Um... hi?” she said carefully, waving shyly. Tulio and Miguel raised their hands, still stunned.

“Hey,” Tulio said, still staring. Miguel seemed to get some of his composure back and turned to Flynn.

“So you set out to steal her crown and return with the actual princess?” he said, a definite hint of pride in his voice. Tulio snapped back to reality and smiled a little unsteadily at the woman his son had brought home. Who was the princess. Good God they were going to have royal in-laws.

“Welcome,” he said and she seemed to sag with relief, leaning on Flynn's shoulder in a half-familiar way.

“Oh and guys, I'm Eugene again now,” their son said offhandedly. Tulio and Miguel looked at each other and shrugged. They were just happy to have their son back.

 


End file.
